1. Computers in Education

2. Term paper proposals must be in today. It’s better to put something in now and change later than to do nothing at all. Tyler is my hero.

4. What is "technological determinism"? What is "community informatics"? What three experiences were related in this article? Does making the technology free to users help or hurt? Should everything cost money? What sort of infrastructure did each of these projects utilize?

5. * What conclusions does the author draw? * Do you think the $100 laptop project has addressed the issues raised in this paper? * What is (was) the Bush administration doing for programs that foster access to technology?

6. When was the “Lessons Learned” paper written? What is the Concord Consortium? What state has been a pioneer in laptop- based education? What grades were focused on? What were the stated goals of this program? What did a “limited number of rigorous studies” provide?

7. What is the basic lesson learned about using laptops in the classroom? What three areas are identified as critical? What sort of goals can a laptop program address? Which goal in Maine did they mention? What should drive a laptop program? What expense other than equipment purchase is important?

8. How should such programs be commenced? Why? What sort of details needed to be addressed? What sort of training do educators need to use these laptops effectively? Who else needs to be involved besides teachers and students?

9. What sort of infrastructure is required? What are the ongoing costs of this? What is “Professional Development”? What are “stakeholders”? Who are they? What needs to be done as the laptop program is operating?

10. How do they recommend a laptop program be evaluated? What is the basic conclusion of this whitepaper?

11. Where was the initial experience in this article? What happened? Does this laptop program seem to have followed the guidelines in the previous paper? Who often initiated laptop programs? Why did the ACLU threaten to sue a California school district?

12. Why did New Mexico parents want to delay their laptop program? What does the WSJ quote as the home penetration rate? Is use of laptops growing? What problem is Larry Cuban worried about? Why do computer manufacturers support these programs? Is the software supplied usually appropriate for education?

13. What drawbacks do some parents see? How do laptops allow students to avoid parental controls? What do they encourage parents to do to prevent kids from browsing inappropriate sites?